Convertible packing box



Jam' 7, 1947. I c. K. KEATH CONVERTIBLE PACKING BOX 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 14, 1943 Jan. 7, 1947. c, KEATH 2,413,874

CONVERTIBLE PACKING BOX Filed Oct. 1-4, 194:5 ZSheetS-Sheet 2 5 4INVENTOR. E

l B 7 8 L093 4 Patented Jan. 7, 1947 CONVERTIBLE PACKIN G BOX Charles K.Keath, Lititz, Pa, assignor to Frick- Gallagher Manufacturing Company,Wellston, Ohio, a partnership consisting of J. P. Gallagher, Allen J.Frick, anclPaul H. Frick Application October 14, 1943, Serial No.506,244

2 Claims.

This invention relates to packing boxes or shipping cases intended to beuseful, when closed, as a medium for safely and securely transportingvarious articles or commodities from point to point, and, which, whenopened at a temporary point or destination, may be laid on its side tohave its cover removed and positioned in the box to function as theshelf of a service cabinet for dispensing the articles in classifiedorder; then when transportation is to be resumed, the cover may bewithdrawn from the box and replaced as a closure.

A primary object is to provide a box which is re-usable over and over,without special prepa-' ration, that is, Without cutting or fitting anyof the parts to render the box ready for dispensing at the end of eachjourney. That is to say, the invention contemplates a box having a coverwhich when placed within the same serves as a shelf and together withthe walls of the box, maybe compartmented, if desired, by the use ofpartitions to sub-divide the interior space into individual bins.

A further object is to provide a convertible packing box and shelvingwhich is strong, durable, and readily stacked during shipment so as tooccupy a minimum of storage space and whose outer reinforcementinterlocks with the reinforcement of an adjacent box so that shiftingwith the motion of the vehicle or ship is prevented.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appearas the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical arrangement of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of thepacking box or case in its closed condition ready for shipment.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the box set up for use as a cabinetwith the cover inserted in the box to provide a shelf and also showingthe partitions which cooperate therewith.

Figure 3 is a detail exploded perspective view illustrating theconstruction of the end walls.

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sectional views respectively showing theinner face of one of the end walls with the cover in closure positionand also with the box laid on its side and the cover inserted as ashelf.

Figurefi is a longitudinal section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 'l'! of Figure 4.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings.

According to the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings itwill be observed that the box includes a bottom wall A, opposite sidewalls BB, a cover C and the end walls D.

The end walls D are set Within the end planes of the bottom Wall A and.the side Walls BB and are of novel construction from the standpoint ofreinforcement, as Well as providing not only a seat or recess for thecover in cooperation with the side walls BZ, but to also provide groovesor guideways for receiving the cover C when removed from its normalposition as a closure member so that it may act or serve as a shelf.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the end walls D are ofcomposite construction, including, an outer panel dand an interiorreinforcing frame and guideway forming member. This frame includes theopposite side rails |-l, whose upper ends are rabbeted as indicated atla, and an intermediate top rail 2 whose inner ends abut the inner facesof the side members and which is also rabbeted along one edge asindicated at 212 and provided with an intermediate transverse notch 3.The rabbeted portions Ia. and 2a are alined so that the transverse facesof the rabbet provide a continuous shoulder or seat S against which theinner ends of the cover C may rest. The side rails ll are providedbetween their lower ends with a bottom rail 4 which is transverselynotched in one face as indicated at 4a, While the top rail 2 and bottomrail 4 have their inwardly facing sides abutting the opposite ends of achannel member 5. This channel member has a central groove which alineswith the notches 3 and 4a to provide a guideway G for receiving thecover C when the same is removed as a closure and inserted in the box asa shelf, as shown in Figure 2. The frame elements. I, 2, 4 and 5 aresecured to the inner face of the panel d by screws, nails, or otherappropriate fastenings.

In the above described arrangement it will be observed that the upperedges of the side walls B and end walls D are co-planar and togetherwith the shoulder S provide in effect a cover receiving recess forflushly supporting and receiving the cover C.

In connection with the cover C it will be observed that the battens 10have their ends terminating in the planes of the opposite sides of thecover so that when the cover is seated on the shoulder S the ends of thebattens If] on the cover will lie within the projected ends of thebattens 10 on the side walls B.

As will be apparent from the drawings, the box or crate may befabricated from board lengths of appropriate dimensions and that theirinner meeting edges are preferably of the tongue and groove type. Inconnection with the end walls D Whose outer panel d is of theconstruction just described, it will be observed thatthe interiorreinforcing frame has its side rails 1 and the channel member crossingthe joints between the boards which make up the panel. Further, inconnection with the frames at the inner sides of the panels 11, it willbe observed that the top and bottom rails 2 and i, as well as thechannel member 5, are not completely severed by the notches 3 and 4a norby the groove which constitutes the major portion of the guideway G,and, which, of course, includes the notches referred to. Thus, theinterior frame is of maximum strength.

The cover C is preferably of uniform depth or thickness and, of course,is co-extensive in length and width with the recess defined by the sideand end walls, as above referred to. As shown in the drawing the cover Cmay be provided on its opposite face with a plurality ofpartition-receiving grooves 6 intended to lie opposite companion groovesf on the-inner faces of the side walls B--B, thereby to receivepartition elements 8 to sub-dividethe interior of the box intocompartments.

The box is also preferably provided on'its outer side with reinforcingbattens it! which are spaced inwardly from the Outer ends of each sidewall, but are disalined transversely with respect to the box so that theboxes may be stacked without registration of the reinforcing'battensproducing unnecessary space between the boxes when stacked. Moreover,this disalinement or offsetting of the battens l8 serves to interlockthe boxes when stacked in such a way that they will not shift in transiteither due to the movement of a vehicle or roll of a vessel.

As previously indicated Figurel shows the box in its closed positionwith the cover C secured in place by-screws brother-conventionalremovable fastenings. When the box reaches its destination the cover Cmay be removed as a unit and the contents of the box removed so that'thecover may be inserted in theguideway G to serve as a shelf. If desired,the partitionsB may be used to provide suitable compartmentation. Thecontents of the box may be then replaced in classified order and the boxin this condition serves as a dispensing cabinet. When it becomesnecessary to move the box, thepartitions '8 can be removed and the coverC can be withdrawn from the guideway and replaced in the-coverreceivingrecess. Thus, it will be "apparent that the cover is in no way mutilatedin any way in serving as a shelf. The arrangement has the advantage thatthe cover is always kept with the box, either when it is closed or whenit is open and the cover serves as a shelf.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides a box which has utility not only as a packing or shipping casebut also as a dispensing cabinet. The features described areparticularly useful in connection with military or naval expeditionsfrom the standpoint of permitting the contents of the box to be readilyshipped and then opened up for use at a temporary base and when the basemoves the box can again be closed by simply pulling the cover from'itsposition as a shelf and replacing it as a closure member.

Without further description it is thought that the features and.advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art and it will, of course, be understood that changes may beresorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A box having utility as a shipping case or dispensing cabinet,comprising, side, bottom and end walls, said end walls each having apair of rectangular reinforcing frames consisting of side, top andbottom rails and an intermediate channel member secured to the innerface thereof, the said'top rails having an inset shoulder'to provide acountersunk cover recess in cooperation with said side walls, a coveradapted to fit in said-recess to close the box, and, when removedadapted for insertion in said channel member to provide a shelf.

2. A box re-usable as a shipping case-and dispensing cabinet,comprising, side, bottom, and end walls, said side and end walls beingco-planar at the open sideof the box and said end walls each includingan outer panel and an'inner reinforcing frame work, said'framework'comprising, opposite side rails whose outer edges abut the innerfaces of the side walls, abottom rail having its lower face engagingthe. inner face of the bottom walland having its opposite ends abuttingthe inner faces of said side rails, said bottom rail havinga transversenotch, a top rail also having a transverse notch and having its oppositeends disposed in abutting relation to the inner faces of the upper endsof the side rails, an intermediate channel member having its groovealined with the-notches in the top and bottom rails to provide aguideway and having its opposite ends abutting the inwardly facing sideportions of said top-and bottom rails, said top rail and the upperendsof th side rails beingrabbeted to provide a continuous inset shoulder,and a cover adapted, when in closure position, to fit within the sidewalls and therabbeted portions of the end walls and supported by theshoulders thereof, and when removed and inserted in the guidewaysserving as a shelf.

CHARLES K. KEATH.

